The Impact of Experience and Heuristics on Everyday Decisions to Use Mobility Devices: The Need for Control in Nine African-American Older Adults
By Copolillo, Al, PhD; Collins, Cassandra; Randall, Nicole R.; Cash, Sandra H.; Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 57-74Publication Date: 2002
Study involving focus groups and narrative interviews were conducted with nine African-American older adults to examine problem-solving and decision-making processes related to the use of mobility devices. Results indicated that older adults use their own past experiences, observations of others using or considering mobility devices, and rules as heuristics for making decisions regarding the use of mobility devices. The desire to maintain control of physical and social environments guided the participants’ decisions. Study participants sought ways to manage decreasing mobility while preserving self-image and altering the environment as little as possible. Interviews revealed that some older adults looked at assistive devices, such as wheelchairs or canes, as a sign of helplessness; others viewed the devices as a signal that the user might be in need of assistance from time to time. Most participants agreed that they would be more than likely to use a mobility device if a doctor or therapist recommended it.
Published by: Haworth Press (Website:http://www.haworthpressinc.com)
Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Aging with Mental Retardation (Web Site: http://www.uic.edu/orgs/rrtcamr/ )
